#Chapter 100 – Bonded

It takes me a long time to fall asleep, overwhelmed as I am by my new bond, the closeness of my mate, the secrets that we’ve passed between us that still ring through my mind. But as the minutes pass I feel my eyelids getting heavier and heavier, encouraged by the steady movement of Jackson’s hand over my hair. When I do finally fall asleep, my head pillowed against Jackson’s chest, it’s the deep, true sleep of one who feels both weary and completely safe. I sleep so deeply that when my eyelids flutter open in the morning, I have…no idea where I am. Even though I am…completely comfortable. I frown, not understanding, and curl into the warmth of what I assume is my mattress, though it’s a little…firmer than I remember? I’m not sure. There’s a light chuckle, though, that makes me look up, and my frown deepens as I stare into Jackson’s face before I realize that… “Oh!” I murmur, sitting up a little. He smiles at me, his hand pressing into my back, encouraging me to lean my head back